Dealing with challenges while fasting

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Once they begin fasting, most people face roadblocks. Here are three common difficulties, and some ways to overcome them:

 

 

HUNGER

 

When starting out in fasting, almost everybody feels hunger.

For some people, their hunger is a real signal from their body. For others, it’s what some experts call “false hunger,” which triggers from a short-term insulin surge. Real hunger lasts for hours; false hunger passes in about 20 minutes.

It takes a while to learn to distinguish between the two.

 

NAUSEA OR HEADACHES OR SICKNESS

 

Many people live on a diet that’s unhealthy.

When they start to fast, their body starts to clean house. All the stored-up residue gets loosened and put back into the bloodstream for elimination. That’s when people feel sick. The symptoms are often flu-like.

That sickness is actually a good thing, as it’s a sign that their body is “detoxing.” But some people misinterpret their nausea or headaches or sickness feeling as an indicator that they should not fast.

A doctor would be able to help.

 

UNPLEASANTNESS

 

Some people have the idea that they’ll try fasting, but only until it becomes unpleasant. Then they’ll stop.

Fasting will sometimes be unpleasant, at least in the first few days. As far as those rough patches go, many people find that they simply have to grit their teeth or relax their way through it.

 

CAUTION

Fasting is only for those who are medically capable. Check with your health care provider. Experts say you need to be under the supervision of a doctor during the time of a fast.

 

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.